Most maternity workwear advice online is written for a different context, blazers over bump bands, tailored trousers, all very aspirational and very uncomfortable by 3pm.
Here's what actually works for the Indian working woman during pregnancy.
For office days The goal is to look put together without spending the day uncomfortable. Structured fabrics in breathable materials, linen, cotton, cotton-spandex blends, are your best option. A pleated top or peplum cut at the waist creates shape without constricting the bump. Avoid anything that pulls across the belly or requires constant adjusting. Wide-leg trousers with an overbelly waistband are genuinely the most professional-looking maternity bottom available, they read as intentional, not makeshift.
For hybrid and WFH days The camera-on problem is real. You need the top half to look presentable without the bottom half being uncomfortable. Relaxed tops in solid colours or subtle stripes, nothing that photographs as visually busy, work well for calls. The actual pants underneath are your business.
For the commute Indian commutes, auto, metro, walking, are physically demanding when you're pregnant. Whatever you wear needs to move with you. Stiff fabrics, tight waistbands, and anything that requires frequent adjusting will make the journey miserable. Cotton-spandex blends breathe, stretch, and recover. This is non-negotiable.
The general principle You shouldn't have to choose between professional and comfortable. The maternity workwear gap in India is specifically this: everything comfortable looks casual, and everything that looks office-appropriate is uncomfortable. The women we spoke to described wearing jeans to work just to feel put together, even when they hated it.
be imli's pieces were built specifically for this problem.
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